In the absence of perfect growing conditions (adequate water supply, nutrients and an nonexistence of pests), agricultural or horticultural grown plants require treatment by man. Such treatments may include, for example, removal of debris, fungal treatment, drying, watering, nutrient delivery or application of pesticides/herbicides to the plants. These treatments may involve blowing an airstream onto the plants. Alternatively, substances, in liquid or powder form, may be dispensed into the airstream to apply the substance to the plant in a spray.
In agriculture, plants may be grown in rows to enable treatments to be easily applied to the plants and/or to assist in the harvesting of the plants. Examples of such plants planted in rows include grape vines and fruit trees. The rows may be spaced apart so as to allow a vehicle or a tyre of a vehicle to travel between the rows.
To maximise the efficiency with which plants are treated with substances, mobile sprayers may be used to apply a substance to the plants. A range of sprayers may be used, including sprayers that generate a spray by dispensing a substance into the air flow of a fan. Mobile sprayers are able to be attached to, and moved along with, a vehicle. Particular mobile sprayers may utilise power from the vehicle to drive the fans, with the power from the vehicle being converted to hydraulic or electric power to drive the fans of the sprayer. However, such an arrangement generally requires individual motors for each fan.
For a hydraulic drive system of a mobile sprayer, the fans are likely to be mounted a distance from the vehicle. As such, the length of hydraulic hosing and hydraulic fluid to directly power motors provided for each fan can be costly and inefficient. Hydraulic drive systems may also be subject to leakage, which would not only require significant repair and/or maintenance but can also cause damage to crops, particularly if the leak is close to the fan units.
In relation to electrical drive systems, disadvantages include the bulk associated with electric motors, the cost of self-contained 3 phase power generators, and the fact that installation and servicing must be performed by specialists. Furthermore, spraying substances in the vicinity of high voltages, which are required for electrical drive systems, increases the operating risk of the mobile sprayer.
It is desirable to provide an alternative drive system, which can form part of an efficient mobile blower for blowing an airstream onto plants and/or an efficient mobile sprayer for applying a substance to plants, the drive system being simple in design, structure and/or operation.
A reference herein to a matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that matter was known, or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge, as at the priority date of any of the claims.